Colossians 3:17

The Apostle Paul said, “Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace (Colossians 3:15a).”

We often think of peace as the absence of conflict and the presence of harmony. This is true. However, how is such peace secured? For the first century Jew, peace would come through the end-time Messiah, who would usher in God’s kingdom on earth. Such peace was thought to come through a warrior king, who would defeat the enemies of the Jews. For the first century Roman, peace would come through imperial proclamation and military pacification. In a phrase, it would come through the “Pax Romana,” the Roman Peace. Continue reading →